Slot machine



Oct. 2, 1934. I Q sPELLlNG 1,975,379

" SLOT MACHINE Filed Aug. 17, 1935 INVENTOR I Patented Oct. 2, 1934 UNITED STATES;

SLOTMAGHINE Spelling,,New York, N. Y.

Application August 17, 1933 Serial No. 685,550

'3 Claims. (01. 194-51) This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in slot machines. It is here claimed for this new form that, its plan, mechanism and operation comprise points of superiority, J asfollows: 1

l. The door of the compartment in which the merchandise to be exchanged for the coin is unlocked, ready to be pulled open by the depositor of the coin,.autornatica1 1y, by leverage and gravity, both made operative by movement of the coin, dispensing with the pushing of a buttonor turning of a rod, or other manipulation, now uniformly found in slot machines, and an attendant re-manipulates to close and re-lock the door. 2. The slotis here madethrough the door above its righthand lower corner, thus obviating the devotion of separate space to the unlocking mechanism. Those who have observedthe construction and operation of slot machines as used in g!) merchandising food cannot have failed to note the economic waste and inconvenience incidental to the provision of separate space for the unlocking .device. Ilere such wasteis obviated. In a place of installation where many compartments are required, arrangedin rows and tiers,the provision of separate space for the unlocking device necessitates the provision of twolateral walls for each compartment, whereas, here,a single wall does double service, as shown in the drawing, the result beingone wall for each compartment, as-

suming a continuous floor and roof for each tier. 3. The same form and size} of the machine can be adapted to coins of various values and weights. The immense saving thereby realized should not be overlooked.

.Other supenor advantages will be in part obvious and in part specifically referred to in the course of the followingdescription of elements, combinations, arrangement of parts and applicathe scope of protection contemplated will appear from the appended claims. The invention is specifically adapted for use in dispensing food in automatic cafeterias and other places where food is served, although adaptable to a general sale of merchandise. H i v a In the accompanying drawing, which forms a part of this specification, similar figures of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views, in which: i I V I I Fig.1 is a side view of the invention with parts assembled, except that-a part beyond a'wall is.

made a separate figure. V i Fig. 2 is atop view-of all-visibleparts that l aab 88611 M to V w.

tion of principles constituting the invention, and

Fig. 3 is a side view of a part which in proper emplacement would be behind a wall.

Fig. 4 is a front view of the door of the compartment to be equipped with the mechanism.

7 Fig. 5 is a side view of a buffer used in operation.

Figs. 6 and 7 exhibit cross-sections of a post and downward projection, respectively.

To avoid misunderstanding and confusion, an explanatory prelude is proper. I will assume that substances in place do not prevent one from seeing all parts in place prior to operating the device, nor from noting the functioning of parts.

We stand now at the door (Fig. 4) facing toward the insides of two compartments. Let it be noted that it is not the compartment to the right, occupied by the shank and its appurtenances, that we are equippingwith this device, but that to the left. We are merely utilizing some space in the right hand compartment, which in a system using the device will itself have an identical equipment, similarly placed with reference to a similar interpositioned wall between it and the next compartment to the right.

The door in place and locked, is seen in Fig. l. The shoulder, 26, is in the opening in the door facing. The top surfaces of the shank, 25, and of the coin channel 22 are seen aligned horizontally, the terminals of the coin channel and coin chute, 20, in close contact. It is necessary to provide the travel route of the coin in two parts, because the one (the chute) is fastened to the door and is immovable except as the door is moved in opening and closing; the other movable in operating the mechanism. We see the coin checker, 21, positioned in the slit at the end of the coin channel, and, for the purpose of the demonstration weneed to use only one nickel. Assuming now that all parts are properly sized, weighted and adjusted, weintroduce a nickel, 42, through the slot '24. It-rolls 'to and stops against the checker. Its Weight and leverage start functioning by the other parts of the coin conductor, a

termwhich embraces all operative parts except ther'egulatory parts at the top of the post. The channel is moved obliquely downward and away ,to roll slants obliquely upward and. away from the wall.

Nowvif there were no regulatory agency at the .top' of. the post, 28, except the cavity, 38, therein, the conical terminal, 39, of the downward projection, 27, then, in that case, the parts of the coin conductor would not, in the uprising movement of the coin channel resume the positions and contacts from which they started. To cause such resumption, the sheath, 29, and its upwardly projected branches, ac, are provided, one on each sideonly one visible in the drawing. Each has on its face a rounded protuberance, 43, which facilitates the non-frictional movement against them of the smooth sides of the projection, 27. With the downward movement of the coin channel checker by the functioning of the check bar, 32, and the coin removed, the superior weight of the shank starts a resumption of all parts to original position and corelation.

I need not, even if I could make clear with mere words, the functioning of these slender adequately formed branches in replacing the parts. The roller is thus held in contact with the sharp face of the buffer in the return descent of the shank, and the contact of the channel with the chute is restored.

The extent of net downward movement of the free terminal of the channel must depend upon a general adjustment of parts in planning and construction; but probably one and one-half inches will suffice. If so, its horizontal emplacement should be just that far above the floor, 12. Obviously, its descent will cause a creen of the shank over the conical terminal, 38, of the downward'projection, but it will be very slight. Never theless, the shank portion of the coin conductor must be emplaced near the wall in order that the locking engagement of the shoulder, 26, may be dependably consummated. But here no serious problem is present. It would be easy to remove a small portion of the adjacent wall in case additional room were required.

Evidently, experimenting and some nice adjustmerits will be necessary in preparation of perfect patterns for manufacturing the device, but there should be no difiiculty therein. Only moderate skill in doing precision work will be needed. A perfect mechanism will allow the use of the same machine for various coin weights, it being only necessary to shift the coin checker from one pair of slit openings, 41, to another, according to varying requirements indicated by coin weights and leverage.

Following the foregoing general survey I come to a description of the forms and functioning of parts. In Fig. 1, we have a frontal view of the door facing. A frontal view of the door (Fig. 4) exhibits elements not shown in Fig. 1. In the facing is the slanted quadrangular opening, 19. While not being operated, the shoulder, 26, rests in the lower right hand corner thereof. The door itself, 14, is thicker, therefore heavier, in

its outside lower portion, 15, than at its top, 16, which facilitates its automatically moving into locking relation when released, after being unlocked and pulled open. The facing is indicated by reference numeral 18. not seen in Fig. 1, but shown in Fig. 4, are the slot, 24, and the hinge, 17. Both are seen to be in near contact with the floor, 12. What I may here designate as the roof, 13, to which the door is hinged, is a fragment of the floor of a compartment in a row or tier of such, above this compartment.

The coin conductor includes the shank, 25, the downward projection, 2'7, the shoulder, 26, the

' connecting bar, 33, and the coin channel, 22, the

respective coaction and functions of which have been already described, as have also those of the The parts of the door coin checker, 21, and the coin chute 20. The space between the sides of chute is the same throughout as that between the sides of the channel. The slightly extended base of the chute rests on the base of the channel. The chute, 20, is formed and equipped for being secured to the interior side of the door, to be so dimensioned as to length that the opening of the door will not be interfered with by its presence. The slot, 24, is soformed as to coincide with the slant of the channel between the interior sides of the chute. To prevent interference of the chute with the free movement and restoration to position of the coin channel in the locking and unlocking maneuver, a small portion of the right hand side of the former is removed, as seen at 34.

On shank, 25, is formed the shoulder, 26, which when the mechanism is at rest occupies the rectangular opening, 19, in the aforementioned door facing, and with connection, 33, in place as shown in Fig. 2, securely locks the door. An opening through the wall must be also made to accommodate the shoulder. But what I designate as the wall is no more than a thin partition.

On the shank, 25, is also formed the downward projection, 27. This projection, itself supported. on the post, constitutes the support of the coin conductor, as shown in emplacement. The sheath, 29, is formed of thin flexible metal 105 and is supported on the upright post, 28. The sheath surrounds the post above the shoulder of the latter.

The coaction and respective functions of all the parts supported on the post have now been 110 described. At the apex'of the post the cavity, 39, is formed, its function being apparent upon a glance at it in Fig. 1. The post reaches the floor, 12, to which it is attached. A portion at the top of the post is broken away to expose the cavity, 39.

Into the substance of the shank, in its upper left hand corner, a short space from the opening through the wall to accommodate the shoulder, 26, is axled the roller, 30. The buffer, 31, on whose upwardly and outwardly slanted face it rolls, is slanted backward, as is the opening in the door facing. That is necessary because in operation, the end of the adjacent end of the shank, and shoulder, will move in a line that is 25 slightly circular. A fragment of the wall, 11, is shown in Fig. 1, and the buffer, 31, is shown supported thereon. A side view of the buffer is exhibited in Fig. 5.

To prevent the possibility of the shank being 130 lifted or shifted out of position, the check bar, 32, is provided. It is formed of thin flexible material, is supported in the wall, its free end extending a short space beyond the adjacent corner of the shank, which it crosses.

What herein has been designated as a Wall need be only a thin partition of sheet metal. The shelving of tiers and rows of compartments will be otherwise supported as in other automatic food service installations.

To avoid the interference of friction and secure uniform dependable operation, it is here suggested that, insofar as is practicable, all parts should be made of glass or celluloid, or chromium glazed metal. In the drawing, the shank part145 and the coin channel are shown integrated, i. e. to be made as one piece of material. But when it comes to manufacturing, it will be found convenient, economical and practical to make them in separate parts and. devise a convenient means of fastening the connection, 33, to the channeled member.

Once the proper size, shape and Weight of parts are ascertained, and standardized, no mechanical problem will remain to be solved.

What I seek to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A coin controlled mechanism comprising a compartment, a door for said compartment, a pivoted detent for locking said door, means for releasing said detent comprising a channeled lever operably connected to and counterweighting said detent, means for introducing a coin into the channel of said lever, said detent having a roller mounted thereon, and a stationary cam for coacting with said roller to cause said detent to release said door upon movement of said detent responsive to the weight of a coin in said channeled lever.

2. A coin controlled mechanism comprising the structure defined in claim 1, together with means for limiting the movement of the detent and lever, and means for returning said detent and lever to locking position upon removal of the coin from said lever.

3. A slot machine formed and adapted for use, as described and as a unified mechanism, when actuated by the weight of a coin or coins, comprising a chamber, a partitioning wall dividing said chamber into two adjoining compartments, a door for one of said compartments, a channeled coin chute attached to said door, means for looking and unlocking said door comprising a coin conductor of three portions, namely a shank portion, a bar portion and a channeled portion, a shoulder formed at the initial terminal, from a frontal view point, of the shank portion for locking, and unlocking said door, the bar portion extending thru an opening in said wall from the shank portion to the channeled portion, the near terminal of the channeled portion curved upward for contact with the free terminal of said coin chute, the chute and channeled portion being suitably formed and shaped for junction and corela-- tion of their channeled interiors, said channeled portion having transverse notches in the walls of its far terminal, a coin stop for placement in a pair of said notches, a post forming a fulcrum for said coin conductor, means on said post for limiting and regulating the movements of the coin 

